Plug for wells and the like



APlilflG, 1940- w. A. NORMAN Er AL PLUG FOR-WELLS AND THE LIKE Eild Jan.27, 1957 A INVENToRs WJZLNISMAN m113- ORDN. By is l TTORNEY t Patentedpr. i6, 1940 PATENT OFFICE PLUG FOR WELLS AND THE LIKE Walter A. Norman,Longview, and Thomas M. Norman, Gladewatcr, Tex.

Application January y2'1, 1937, Serial No. 122,519V2 4 Claims.

Our invention relates to plugs for sealing the uid passage of wells andthe like, and more particularly to a device for sealing the workingbarrel and tubing of oil wells so that the same may be removed andreplaced.

The object is to provide a simple inexpensive unit which may be insertedinto the well tubing and permitted to gravitate to the working barrelwhere it will automatically anchor itself and act to seal the barrel andtubing against fluid passage.

An advantage of this invention is that it elimi- Y nates thedisadvantage of having the fluid iiow over the workmen and tools duringremoval and replacement of the barrel and its .cooperating parts, thuseliminating the re hazard and expediting the work.

Another advantage is that the device is formed so that it may gravitateto the desired position before acting to seal the tubing and barrel.

i0 Still another advantage isthat it is adapted to be forced to thedesired position or elevation in the well in case its naturalgravitation is retarded by obstructions in the well.

Other objects and advantages will be fully eX- 55 plained in thefollowing description and the invention will be -more particularlypointed out in the claims.

Reference is had to the accompanying drawings which form a part of thisapplication.

w30 Fig. 1 is a vertical section of the device, showing the same set ininoperative position.

Fig. 2 is a similar view, showing the same in a sealing position in thewell.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one of the lock- 35 ing members forholding the device in inoperative position.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the plug used in pivotally supporting thelocking arms.

Fig. 5 is a vertical section of that portion adapt- 40 ed to anchor thedevice in the well.

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the extension plug of the device, showing thearms thereof in operative position.

4,; Similar characters of reference are used to indicate the same partsthroughout the several views.

The invention consists of inserting a sealing unit in the delivery pipeor tubing I of a well and n permitting the same to gravitate to theworking barrel 2 where it will anchor itself and act to seal the barrel.In this instance, the tubing I of the well is connected to the workingbarrel 2 by means of a joint 3 so that there is suicient 5.,-, spacebetween the lower edge of the tubing I and the top of the barrel 2 topermit the anchoring medium of the device to function.

The sealing unit consists of a cylindrical shaped member 4 through whicha rod 5 is adapted to project. Plugs 6 and 'l are inserted, 5 one ineach end of the cylinder 4 andserve to slidably anchor the rod 5 in thedevice. 'I'he lower plug, 6, is formed so as to serve as an extensionfor the base of the member 4 and the larger circumference of the same isequivalent l0 to that of the member 4. This plug 6 carries the means forchecking the` gravitation of the device and the means for anchoring thedevice so as to seal the barrel 2 of the well.

The outer periphery of the plug 6 is provided 15 with rigid wedge shapedprojections 8 which are so formed as to engage the top of the workingbarrel 2 and hold the sealing unit in operative relation therewith. Aplurality of arms 9 are pivotally attached to the plug 6, a slightdistance above the projections 8, and are adapted to normally extendoutwardly and upwardly so as to engage the end of the tubing I andanchor the device in the well. These arms 9 are pivoted at their lowerends to the plug 6 and are so 25 positioned in the outer peripherythereof that when folded against the plug their outer walls stand :flushwith the outer side wallsof the device, when the same is being loweredin the tubing I. When the sealing unit has passed to operative positionin the well, the projections 8 rest upon the top of the working barrel 2and the arms 9 project against the sides of the joint 3 and in positionto engage the base of the tubing I of the well. Any upward movement ofthe device will be arrested by the contact of the arms 9 with the welltubing I.

The plug 1 is iirst placed on the rod 5 and then -a piston or yoke Illis attached to the rod so that it will be interposed between the twoplugs 6 and 1, when the plugs are positioned in the cylindrical member4. A spring Il is carried about the rod 5 and interposed between theplug B and the piston Ill. This coil spring II normally stands so thatits tension will cause an expansion of a resilient member I2 and seal,the working barrel 2 of the well.

The resilient member I2 may consist of any suitable member that isresilient, preferably a rubber composition, and formed so as to flt over5o the lower end of the rod 5. The upper end of the sealer I2 is adaptedto have frictional contact with the concave lower end of the plug 6 ofthe device. A conical shaped member I3 is passed over the end of the rod5 and against the base 55 oi the sealing member I2. The shape f themember I3 permits that portion that contacts with the sealer I2 to passinto the central opening thereof or between the rod and the innerperiphery of the member I2 for spreading the same and sealing theworking barrel. The conical member I3 is held on the rod 5 by means oflock nuts I4 screwed on the end of the rod 5.

The upper plug 'I is so formed as to carry arms I5 which are adapted toengage and hold the head I6 of the rod, when the spring II iscompressed. 'Ihe plug I is provided with grooves or slots I1 in its sidewalls for pivotally retaining the.

lower ends of the arms I5. The arms I5 are provided with indentations I8which t into the slots I'I of the plug 1. The upper ends of the arms I5are provided with similar grooves which t into openings of the rod headI6 and lock the rod against movement by the coil spring II. When the rod5 is locked against the tension of the spring II by the arms I5, themember I3 and lock nuts I4 are positioned on the lower end of the rod 5so that the sealing member I2 will stand in an inoperative position.Upon release of the arms I5 from the rod head I6, the tension of thespring II will bring the conical member I3 into the expander orsealing'unit I2 and cause the same to engage the internal side walls ofthe barrel 2 and seal the same against flow of fluid therethrough.

'I'he shape of the grooves of the arms I5, that contact with and holdthe rod head I 5, serve to release the rod 5 when the same is pusheddownwardly against the spring tension. This permits the plug to beactuated either by jarring the same or striking the head I6, when thedevice is at the desired elevation in the Well. The upper tips of thearms I5 may be tapered` outwardly so that, when it becomes necessary,the sealing means may be unlocked and operated by inserting a tool inthe well that will spread the arms apart .and away from locking contactwith the head I6 of the rod 5.

It is apparent that various changes maybe made in the size, shape, andgeneral arrangement of the plug without departing from the spirit of ourinvention. The object is to provide a simple form of a plug that willanchor itself at the desired elevation in a well and automatically actto seal the same.

What we claim, is:

1. A plug for wells and the like consisting of an elongatedcylindricalmember adapted to be inserted into the delivery pipe of theWell, a sealing means carriedby said member, a rod Vertically disposedin said cylinder and passed through said sealing means, swinging armscooperating with said member for anchoring said plug at a predeterminedelevation in said pipe, and means for resiliently moving said rod forforcing said sealing means against the inner periphery of said pipe andsealing the same against uid passage therethrough.

2. A plug for wells and the like consisting of a cylindrical memberhaving a rod passing therethrough, a sealing means carried by said rod,means for anchoring said cylinder at a predetermined elevation in saidwell, and resilient means coacting with said rod for forcing saidsealing means against the side walls of said well.

3. A plug for wells and the like consisting of a member adapted to bepositioned at a predetermined elevation in a well and anchored therein,a rod slidably disposed in said member, a sealing means carried aroundsaid rod and disposed between one end thereof and one end of saidmember, theother end of said rod being locked against the urge of aresilient means, and means for releasing said resilient means forcausing said sealing means to be expanded against the side Walls of saidwell.

4. A plug for wells and the like consisting of a member adapted toengage the working barrel of a well, gravitational means carried by saidmember for anchoring the same below the well tub-` ing, resilientsealing means carried on the base of said member, means disposed on theupper end of said member for locking said sealing means in aninoperative position, a rod connecting said locking means with saidsealing means. and means for manually releasing said locking means forexpanding said sealing means against the side walls of said well.

WALTER A. NORMAN.

THOMAS M. NORMAN.

